Very good! Yes, class, today we celebrate Pi Day to honor pi, the revered mathematical constant of 3.14 and a trillion more digits.

On Pi Day, we make pie, today a classic recipe from America’s south and heartland, a lemon meringue pie that is citrus-sweet and meringue-light. It earns high marks for deliciousness and is perfect for early spring when we yearn for summer like a classroom longs for recess. It’s today’s homework, an A+ pie.

ALANNA's TIPS If you’re making your own crust, add lemon zest to the pastry too. Visit KitchenParade.com for my favorite pie crust recipe and technique tips. "Blind bake" the pie crust at 375F for 15 minutes with foil bunched inside the crust, another 5 - 10 minutes without the foil. Be sure the crust is made and cooled before starting the Lemon Filling. Whisking a small bit of hot liquid into uncooked eggs ensures the eggs won’t instantly turn to cooked lumps once added to the hot mixture. This is called "tempering" the eggs. The Lemon Filling makes a scant two cups filling, perfect for a shallow, smaller pie plate about 8 inches in diameter. For a larger pie plate, considering doubling the Lemon Filling. In summer, tuck fresh raspberries or blueberries into the Lemon Filling, so fresh! Egg whites separate from their yolks more easily when the eggs are cold but the whites whip better when whipped at room temperature. Plan accordingly! My mother insisted upon removing the chalazae [kuh-LAY-zee], the white cord that centers a yolk inside the white, using serrated tongs. Super-fine sugar melts into meringue so beautifully. Just whiz regular sugar in the food processor until fine. Not into meringue? I love this pie topped with whipped cream!

MERINGUE In a clean bowl, beat whites, salt and lemon juice or cream of tartar until frothy. While still beating, add sugar in a slow stream. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

COMBINE Pour filling into pie shell. With a spoon, arrange meringue around the perimeter, touching but not covering the crust’s edge, then filling the center. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 1-2 hours before serving.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite family pie recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

What Makes a Lemon Meringue Pie So Yellow?

Is it the lemon juice? No, there's not enough color in lemon juice to create such rich color in the Lemon Filling. Give up? It's the egg yolks! The more yellow the yolks, the more yellow the "Lemon" Filling. Sweet, eh?!

Celebrate Pi Day!

This is my contribution to the pie recipes collecting from across the world here on Kitchen Parade, all to celebrate Pi Day and the wonder that is homemade pie with homemade pie crust.

I forgot to also say thank you for including my pie. I was having so much trouble with formatting and it was 1 a.m. by the time I said I have to get some sleep. I get up at 4 a.m. for work. So thank you very much, hugs

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna